Web design for mobile platforms is much different than standard web design. Designing a site for such a small screen is very different than for a desktop. Mobile websites are quickly being added by businesses due to the huge increase of web surfing done by mobile phones.

A lot of care needs to be taken to design your mobile website in the correct way. Here are 10 common mistakes in mobile website design:

1. Page structure. Too many navigation links on a page or having to navigate through too many pages to reach your content can make browsing your mobile site a pain for your visitors.

2. Graphics. Large images that load slowly will load even slower on mobile phones. Avoid using graphics as much as possible as the browsing speed for mobile platforms is limited. Mobile websites should be less than 10KB in size.

3. Pop-up Windows. Many mobile browsers do not offer support for multiple windows, and any page loaded will load on the screen. Changing the current window without informing the user can create confusion.

4. Image maps. Not all mobile browsers can support image maps. However, if you are targeting a specific device for your mobile website and they support the use of image maps then feel free.

5. Frames. Frames can be problematic for standard websites, so using them in mobile website design is a big mistake. Plus, many mobile devices don’t support them anyway.

6. Overusing color. Often, mobile devices lack a good color contrast. Make sure to provide a sufficient contrast between the foreground and background colors.

7. Tables. Do not use tables in mobile website design. They do not work well on small screens.

8. Cookies. Many mobile devices do not implement cookies or only offer a partial implementation, so do not rely on them being available.

9. Fonts. Do not rely on font related styling, as many devices limit support for font sizes and effects, and have few fonts available for use.

10. Input. Keep the number of keystrokes you visitors will have to make minimal. Provide selection lists or radio buttons, and pre-selected default values when you can. Inputting text on a phone can be a daunting task for some.

Mobile devices do not have the same capabilities as a regular computer. Many common design principles are not available in mobile website design. Unless you are developing your site for a specific device, such as the iPhone, and you know they have the capabilities, using these 10 mistakes can create a troubling experience for your visitors.

Local internet marketing combines the creative and technical aspects of the internet to provide businesses with a strong platform for marketing success. Consumers regularly use search engines to gain information on their local market. This market may be a small town, county or a certain region. For example, a local restaurant will have a market area they pull customers from. It is rare for their customers to travel more than thirty minutes for a meal.

Times are getting difficult with our economy in a recession and advertising dollars are scarce. While it is necessary to market a business, finding the best value for your money can be tricky. Luckily, local internet marketing is relatively inexpensive but far more effective when it comes to reaching a target audience and eliciting responses. By creating an internet presence, businesses can read a wider audience for a fraction of regular advertising budgets. Since local internet marketing allows consumers to research and purchase at their own convenience, businesses with a web presence have a strong advantage.

Traditional advertising for small businesses include yellow page advertising, newspaper ads, telemarketing and television ads. Each of these advertising mediums has its own problems:

- Yellow page advertisements are not only expensive, but are expected to become obsolete within the next five years.

- With the internet becoming the major source of information, newspapers are constantly losing readers.

- Telemarketing is not nearly as effective as it once was. Do not call lists are protecting consumers and many choose to let the voicemail take the call instead of answering.

- Local television stations have suffered as there are now more channels to choose from, and consumers are now spending more time on computers.

Luckily, small business owners can still advertise in an effective manner if they choose to follow the technology trend and create a presence online. A small business can easily compete in their local market with very little knowledge of the internet. Any local internet marketing service can market your business to the same local customers and do so in a much cheaper and effective manner.